Globacom, the telecom provider established by Nigerian billionaire Mike Adenuga, has partnered with Wave5 Wireless to introduce public Wi-Fi in select areas of Lagos. The goal of the pilot project is to improve internet connectivity in crowded parts of the city and reduce congestion on mobile networks.

According to a joint statement issued by the two companies, Glo's 3G and 4G traffic will be offloaded onto Wave5's Wi-Fi infrastructure. The service will be provided via a Build-Operate-Revenue Share model.

In addition to 15 LAMATA bus shelters located throughout Lagos, the test phase will encompass areas such as Tejuosho and Arena markets. These venues combined are expected to serve over 200,000 mobile customers.

The service will be available to users for a daily fee of N500 ($0.326), according to Wave5, which covers approximately three hours of usage and is available 200 days a year. They added that the model could produce recurring annual revenue of roughly $7.2 million.

“This partnership redefines connectivity in Nigeria,” said Biola Akinyemi, Wave5’s Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder. “We listened to everyday users who struggle with poor network coverage, and we’re using this collaboration with Glo to help ease those frustrations while opening doors to more digital services.”

Globacom extends rural mobile coverage

Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ, the founder and CEO of Wave5, stated that the change goes beyond just faster broadband speeds. “Our mission has always been to close Nigeria’s digital gap,” he said. “We’re not just improving internet access, but also supporting small businesses and helping people stay connected.”

The project, according to the companies, also serves as a test case for its neutral-host approach, which permits several carriers to share infrastructure. Wave5 is now soliciting $3 million to expand the program throughout Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African nations, in order to support future growth. Given Glo's engagement and a track record of recurring revenue, the company views this as an attractive potential for investors.

For Globacom, Billionaire.Africa reported that this latest initiative adds to a growing list of strategic efforts to widen its reach and improve service quality. In May, the company extended mobile coverage to Kura, a rural settlement near Abuja.

The move, in partnership with Chinese tech giant Huawei, brought mobile connectivity to about 12,000 residents—many for the first time. Within just two days of the network going live, users had already streamed over 81 gigabytes of data and made more than 13,000 minutes of calls. The LTE network performed well, with speeds reaching up to 5.0 Mbps.

From importing car stereos to becoming a billionaire

Legit.ng reported that From importing car stereos into a rising Nigeria to becoming one of Africa's biggest billionaires, Mike Adenuga's legacy is proof of the strength of ingenuity, tenacity, and an unwavering drive for success.

Before the oil blocks, underwater fibre optic cables, and expansive estates that now characterise his empire, Adenuga was a young businessman who recognised opportunity in car stereos.

Adenuga's business acumen had already been developed over decades before the world became aware of him as the solitary Nigerian billionaire who owned Globacom, Conoil Producing, and one of Africa's biggest real estate holdings.